South Alabama's Rubit selected Sun Belt player of week again

MOBILE, Alabama -- South Alabama junior forward Augustine Rubit has been selected the Sun Belt Conference men's basketball Player of the Week for the third time this season.

South Alabama forward Augustine Rubit (21) shoots over Louisiana-Monroe guard Marcelis Hansberry (3) during the first half of a college basketball game Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013, at the Mitchell Center in Mobile, Ala. (Mike Kittrell/mkittrell@al.com)

Rubit is the league's No. 2 scorer (19.0 points per game) and the its top rebounder (10.6 per game). He was a preseason All-Sun Belt selection and was a first-team all-conference player last season and Sun Belt Freshman of the Year two seasons ago.

Rubit averaged 19.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in leading the Jaguars to an undefeated week last week. He shot 46.2 percent from the floor over the two games, 75.0 percent from the free throw line and blocked two shots.

The Houston, Texas, native poured in a team-high 18 points against Florida Atlantic, including the team's final seven points of the night, and hit the game-winning shot with 35.2 seconds left in a 72-71 win at the Mitchell Center, a win that increased the Jags' win streak to three games.

He recorded his 11th game with 20 or more points vs. Troy, scoring 21, and he posted his 13th double-double of the season by adding 12 rebounds. Rubit was 11-of-15 from the free throw line vs. the Trojans in a game in which South Alabama started 3-of-14 at the line but made its final 20 attempts. He made his final 10 tries in the game.

Rubit also converted on 5-of-10 shots from the floor. On Saturday, he moved into 14th place in Sun Belt history for career rebounds (820) and 10th at South Alabama in career scoring (1,245).

Rubit and the Jags return to action Thursday night against Louisiana-Lafayette at the Mitchell Center, looking for their second three-game homestand sweep of the season.